What's closed today due to the extreme cold

What's closed Wednesday due to the extreme cold:

U.S. Postal Service mail delivery

Most Minnesota school districts. For Thursday, many of the largest school districts in the Twin Cities metro and around the state have announced closures, including Anoka-Hennepin, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth and St. Louis County.

University of Minnesota and other local colleges. The Univeristy of Minnesota is opening at noon on Thursday.

Lunds & Byerlys and Kowalski's grocery stores will close at 7 p.m.

Twin Cities museums. Here's a list

Several Twin Cities movie theaters, including all AMC theaters.

Ice Castles in Excelsior

Major ski hills throughout Minnesota — Afton Alps, Buck Hill, Welch Village, Spirit Mountain and Lutsen.

Several well-known historic sites — including Mill City Museum, the James J. Hill House and Split Rock Lighthouse.

Social Security offices in Minnesota

Minnesota Senate hearings

What's affected:

Residents just to the north and northwest of the Twin Cities are being asked by Xcel Energy to dial down their thermostats to 60 degrees until further notice because the utility is "experiencing a significant strain" on its natural gas system. Xcel said 150 customers in Princeton have lost natural gas service; Xcel has put them up in hotels while it works to restore service.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport says flights are delayed because of "equipment issues" attributed to the cold.

St. Cloud began reducing bus service at 10 a.m. Wednesday, modifying its schedules similar to its reduced Sunday Service.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation pulled snowplows off the roads in 11 southeastern counties because of the extreme cold.

What's still on or open:

Memphis plays the Timberwolves, 7 p.m. at Target Center

Illinois plays the Gophers in men's basketball, 8 p.m. at Williams Arena

A number of Twin Cities shelters announced they would remain open around the clock.